Devoncast

Devoncast counts down the final days to the 2024 general election in the company of more political big-hitters.

The Conservatives could lose five seats in Devon alone when the country goes to the polls for a ‘wild’ the general election next month.

In the run-up to the General Election on 4 July, Devoncast is seeking to speak to as many local candidates as possible.

This time it was the turn of Liberal Democrat candidate Richard Foord, who was the MP for the former Tiverton and Honiton seat in the last Parliament, and Labour candidate Jake Bonetta, two of eight candidates vying for the new Honiton and Sidmouth constituency.

We asked the pair about their priorities, including their views on the health service and how they might shape it if elected, as well as a host of other issues.

The pair are passionate about the subject, with Mr Bonetta recently recovering from major surgery and Mr Foord believing that community health needs greater investment.

And we delved into what the candidates believe they could offer the voters of this constituency.

In the run-up to the General Election on 4 July, Devoncast is seeking to speak to as many local candidates as possible.

This time it was the turn of Conservative candidate David Reed and Independent Dan Wilson, two of eight candidates vying for the new Exmouth and Exeter East constituency.

We asked the pair about housing and infrastructure, sewage in our waterways, and defence spending.

And we delved into the topic of social media; its impact on campaigns, the ability for candidates to harness it to connect with voters, but also the issue of comments that may need to be defended after they're made.

A week so busy that it takes a second episode of Devoncast to fit it all in!

The General Election is just weeks away now, and Devoncast has two local candidates in the studio to talk about the things they hear on the doorsteps.

And they’re off! The General Election race has begun, and Devoncast is in the thick of it already.

We talk to a veteran Devon MP who is standing down, an MP facing a whole new fight in a whole new constituency, and an MP going into battle on behalf of residents caught in a water bug crisis.

Elsewhere, we look at the problem of homelessness in the county, talk to the outgoing leader of the county council and meet a man with a plan for Torquay, a place where the local authority is currently in a state of paralysis.

There’s never a dull moment on Devoncast!

The new Devoncast has just dropped – debating the Devon issues that affect you.

In the latest episode our podcasters go behind the scenes to try to explain how what should have been a straightforward Torbay Council meeting descended into chaos, and they hear how a new discovery on Dartmoor could rewrite what we know about life in Devon during the Bronze Age.

There is controversy on the Tamar over plans to take water out of the river to boost supplies in Roadford Reservoir, and in mid-Devon the community is angry at plans for a new landfill site.

And on top of all that, we hear from a football legend who has turned his back on retirement to help a struggling Devon team.

The dust has settled after the local council elections, and this week our podcast team looks back on how the west was won, talking to some of the key personalities from a big night at the polls.

Plus, in the second part of our conversation with the chief executive officer of the English Riviera BID, Carolyn Custerson, we hear how watersports could unlock millions of pounds in the 'blue economy' for Torbay, how this year's airshow could be the best yet, and how Agatha Christie could do for the bay what William Shakespeare has done for Stratford.

Exeter Pride is back after a year’s absence with a bigger and better programme than ever.

On this week’s Devocast we hear from organisers about how the event is coming back with a promise of something for everyone.

We also have the first part of our in-depth interview with the woman who has the job of promoting Torbay’s £500million-a-year tourist industry. How is the 2024 summer season shaping up? How has the bay bounced back after the pandemic? Why are investors flocking to put money into the bay, and is the staycation still a thing?

All of these questions and more are answered, and there’s more. We hear how train travel in the Tavistock area could be transformed, and how Torbay councillors are tucking into devolution.